Israel-Hamas war: Blinken pushes cease-fire amid visit

• Blinken has been pushing a cease-fire proposal in meetings with Israeli leaders
• Later on Tuesday Blinken will be in Jordan for an aid summit
• The UN Security Council has backed a US resolution calling for a Gaza cease-fire

Here is a roundup of developments from the Israel-Hamas war on Tuesday, June 11.

06/11/2024June 11, 2024

UN backs US cease-fire proposal

The UN Security Council has backed a US resolution calling for a cease-fire in Gaza. The plan calls for three phases. 

The first phase envisages a six-week cessation in fighting and an Israeli withdrawal from populated areas of Gaza, allowing displaced Palestinians to return. 

This initial withdrawal would enable a sharp upturn in humanitarian aid, with around 600 trucks entering the enclave each day.

Meanwhile, Hamas would release female, elderly and injured hostages in exchange for hundreds of Palestinians being held in Israel.

In the second phase, all remaining hostages in Gaza, including male Israeli soldiers, would be released, while Israeli forces would withdraw from the entirety of the Gaza Strip. US President Joe Biden hopes that the cease-fire would become permanent by this stage.

Phase three would see the start of an internationally-backed reconstruction plan for Gaza.

US ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said after Monday's session: "This Council sent a clear message to Hamas: accept the cease-fire deal on the table. Israel has already agreed to this deal, and the fighting could stop today if Hamas would do the same."

jsi/kb (AP, dpa, AFP, Reuters)

06/11/2024June 11, 2024

Blinken to attend aid summit in Jordan with cease-fire top of his agenda

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is scheduled to attend a humanitarian aid conference for the Gaza Strip hosted by Jordan on Tuesday as he continues his Middle East tour to secure a deal to bring an end to hostilities.

According to the conference's official website, the summit will be attended by the leaders, foreign ministers and officials of 75 countries as well as representatives of international organizations, including the International Committee of the Red Cross.

"The war in Gaza is now in its eighth month, with massive loss of life among civilians and suffering for the entire population of over 2.3 million Palestinians across the Strip," conference organizers said.

"Famine is imminent in many parts of Gaza; trauma is widespread; every part of Gaza is in ruins. No place is safe in the Strip, and access to food, water, shelter, or medicine is practically non-existent."

The summit on the Dead Sea coast will be attended by Blinken and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

Blinken is on his eighth visit to the region since the war began.

06/11/2024June 11, 2024

Blinken meets Herzog as he seeks more support for cease-fire proposal

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met Israeli President Isaac Herzog on Tuesday as part of his Middle East trip.

Blinken also met opposition leader Yair Lapid and is due to hold talks with Israeli lawmaker Benny Gantz, a former army chief who quit Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government on Sunday.

The secretary of state's trip aims to garner support for the US proposal for a cease-fire which on Monday received support from the UN Security Council.

According to Washington, only Hamas has not yet agreed to the proposal, and Netanyahu has also not given a clear backing.